Diversity of helminth parasites of Colomesus psittacus on the Soure Marine Extractives Reserve in the Brazilian Amazon

Abstract

The objective of this study was to record the parasitic fauna of Colomesus psittacus from Marajó Island, State of Pará, in the Brazilian Amazon. The fish were necropsied, and their organs were individualized in a petri dish to search for helminths using a stereomicroscope. These helminths were then clarified and identified. Of the 50 specimens examined, 76% were parasitized by one or more species, and a total of 807 parasites were recovered. Among the helminths, it was possible to identify five nematodes (Huffmanela psittacus (70%), Anisakis sp. (12%), Hysterothylacium sp. (8%), Philometra sp. 1 (28%), Philometra sp. 2 (2%), Cucullanus marajoara (28%), Cucullanus sp. L3 (34%), a trematode Bianium sp. (2%), and two parasites belonging to the phylum Acanthocephala. The helminth community in C. psittacus was characterized by a high richness of nematodes and a small number of digenetics and acanthocephala. Thus, this is a new record of parasitic fauna in C. psittacus in Brazil.